Aftermarket & OEM Intake Manifold Gasket

How to tell if your intake manifold gasket is torn or leaking.

If you've felt a bit of rough idle when the car isn't moving, or some sputtering when you attempt to accelerate, then there is likely an issue with the air/fuel mixture. Obviously, there are dozens of parts that are responsible for delivering the optimum mix, but what good is that if your intake manifold gasket has a leak? When there's a problem with your intake, you could be running an air/fuel mix that's too lean or too rich. That will mess with your gas mileage and your engine's performance. When you're seeing these problems arise and there's nothing visibly wrong with the engine, you need to do some digging. If the tear in your intake manifold gasket is big enough, you might be able to hear the whistling sound of a vacuum leak. You can test this by spraying carburetor cleaner around the joint between the manifold and the cylinder head. If the whistling noise stops briefly, then you've found your leak. Sometimes, you'll see a small amount of vapor or steam coming from the space where your intake manifold gasket is located. This is usually a sign that oil or coolant (or both) may be causing the leak. Get this fixed immediately.

Your intake manifold gasket is more important than you think.

Your intake manifold gasket seals the space between the manifold and your cylinder head. It is usually made from a metal core with a pulp or cork composite coating. Some intake manifold gaskets are made from all metal, some are a teflon/phenolic composite, and some are rubber. The reason why they could vary all depends on the style of intake manifold that the engine uses. A cast iron or aluminum manifold will get very hot and require a stronger gasket, while vehicles that use a plastic intake manifold can usually use a flexible one. Either way, it is responsible for making sure that your manifold and cylinder head have an air-tight seal between them. If your intake manifold gasket rips or tears, your fuel economy and power will suffer.

An all-day affair.

Changing a bad intake manifold gasket obviously requires the removal of the manifold. All engines are different, and there's no set procedure for doing this. On older engines, you can disconnect the fuel lines from the carburetor and take it off the top of the manifold. Then you can unbolt the manifold from the cylinder head. On other cars, there may be more ancillary parts attached to the manifold that you will have to remove to gain access. That may include a throttle body, fuel injectors, valve cover, spark plug wires or ignition coils, PCV components, or more. But once you can take the intake manifold off, you will expose the intake manifold gasket and be able to replace it with a new one. Make sure all traces of the old gasket are removed before installation.

A good job requires good parts.

Installing a new intake manifold gasket may be tough, but buying one is easy at Car Parts Discount. We carry all the best names in the sealing systems business, from top quality aftermarket brands to the original equipment manufacturer. That means a job done right at an incredible price. So when you are in the market for a replacement intake manifold gasket, don't look anywhere else.